Power electronics are widely used in a variety of applications. Power semiconductor devices are commonly used in circuits to modify the form of electrical energy, for example, from AC to DC, from one voltage level to another, or in some other way. Such devices can operate over a wide range of power levels, from milliwatts in mobile devices to hundreds of megawatts in a high voltage power transmission system. Despite the progress made in power electronics, there is a need in the art for improved electronics systems and methods of operating the same. Vertical power devices, in which the primary current flows from the top surface vertically down through the substrate, are often used in applications that require high voltage and/or current levels.